By Champions crowned in a gripping final day of the Scunthorpe Pool League
Showmans Army once again claimed the Scunthorpe Tuesday Pool League title after recording a crucial win on the final day of the season.
They secured the Division One title by six points, aided by a 9-4 away victory at Brumby Hall last night. The hosts, however, made an immediate return back to Division Two after just one season in the top flight.
They will be joined by Back In Black Beauty, who avoided defeat for only the third time this campaign, as they earned a 6-6 draw at home against promoted side Redbourne Mods. The visitors will be pleased with their seventh-placed finish.
Showmans Cobras did well to avoid relegation in the end after enduring a difficult start of the season. Their convincing 10-3 win at Beacon shows that they deserved their spot outside the drop zone.
Mulligans Trojans and Showmans Fu Cue finished second and third respectfully and they will both will be hoping to forge another title challenge next season.
Fu Cue beat Broughton Club 8-4, but the fifth-placed visitors will have more important matters coming up in the team KO final. Showmans Chaos finished the season once again in fourth after holding the Trojans to a draw.
Mulligans Majestic Sausage Dogs clinched the Division Two title on final day at second-placed Showmans Improvers in a tense decider.
The opening set finished 3-3, however, Las Dachshunds then claimed three of the next four frames to secure back-to-back league titles. Both sides will contest in Division One next season, with the Improvers, who have competed in the league for a number of years, playing at that level for the first time in their history.
Winterton Jubilee came in third spot, following their promotion from Division Three last season.
Their decent 9-3 home win against RAOB club ensured a five-frame cushion ahead of Cocked Hat B, who earned their 12th win of the campaign by beating Black Beauty A 8-4 at home. The away side earned their mathematical safety on final day.
After two seasons in the second tier, Ashby Crown will be playing Division Three pool next season after their 9-4 home defeat to Messingham Crown. The villagers finished a respectable fifth after their second campaign at this level.
Glenny’s Poachers couldn’t avoid finishing rock bottom this season, as they narrownly lost their 15th game of the competition 7-5 away at Mill Road Black Cats, who secured sixth spot.
Showmans Rat Outcasts sealed the Division Three title on final day, claiming an 8-5 win over Fedoras. Both sides met in the plate final last season but this time round it was the Rat Outcasts that came out on top, winning a league title for first time in their history.
Showmans Spartans finished third after earning their tenth win of the season at home to Mulligans Tight Rack. The hosts were the only side other than the eventual champions to reach 10 wins.
Old Farmhouse missed out on a chance to earn promotion to Division Two, following their surprising 9-3 defeat at already relegated Chancel Flyers.
Pig & Whistle and Cocked Hat both shared fifth spot this season. The Pigs finished off the season with a 7-5 victory over bottom-placed Liberal Club.
Harry’s Bar will compete in Division Three for another season following their promotion, as they wrapped up the campaign with an 8-4 victory over Cocked Hat.
The Division Four title race also went to the final day, with Bottesford Town Club finishing the campaign on top, meaning they have earned immediate promotion back to the third tier following relegation. They needed a convincing win away at Broughton WMCA and that’s exactly what they delivered, coming away with a 9-4 victory.
Mulligans ST did their best to win the title, by earning a creditable 10-3 away win at Schnapps that secured their promotion.
The second Redbourne Club derby of the season finished in stalemate. The 6-6 draw means Madness finished the campaign in fourth, while NnC ended up in eighth spot.
Mulligans Youth will be competing in Division Five next season following their 10-3 home defeat to RHH Hospital Club. They will be joined by Jolly Sailor, who finished off their campaign with a 6-6 draw with Chancel.
Showmans Young Ones require just two frames in their game in hand to secure the Division Five title after registering a 7-5 victory over third-placed Showmans Hornets.
Mill Road Dynamite guaranteed at least second, with an 8-4 win at home against Ashby Crown, while Roxy Rack Ems 6-6 draw with Mill Road meant both sides finished in mid-table.
Black Beauty B ended the campaign in fourth spot, following their final-day whitewash win over bottom-placed Butchers of Winterton.
The Winterton-based outfit will be joined in Division Six next season by Talbot, who finished off the season fighting, by beating Beckwood Bombers 7-5 at home.
Newly-crowned Division Six champions Harry’s Bar ended their campaign with a rare 7-5 defeat away at Schnapps Elite. The Harriers began and ended the campaign in losing fashion, but everything in between was more than good enough to wrap up the league title with a game to go.
Beckwood will join them in the fifth tier after finishing as runners up, as the Sex Panthers ended their season by seeing off Foxhills Club 7-5.
Brumby Hall B completed their version of the great escape on the final day, winning 9-4 away at fourth-placed Foxhills Bulldogs to pull three points clear of the drop zone.
That result means Mill Road DM’s 8-4 defeat at Beacon Rats means they face relegation to Division Seven, where they will be joined by Scunthorpe Bowl, who ended their campaign with a 6-6 draw against Beacon B.
Keadby Club’s 10-3 win at Grosvenor secured the Division Seven title on the final day and Mulligans Unique’s convincing 10-2 win at home to Schnapps Retro B earned them a promotion spot.
Youth side Mulligans Spurs finished in seventh-place and the side, which predominantly consists of Under-18s, will be hoping to progress further next season. They lost 8-4 at Lord Roberts on the final day, but a bright future looks likely for the youngsters.
The final Schnapps derby of the campaign ended in stalemate, as Reloaded and plate semi-finalists Retro A drew 6-6. Elsehwere, Bottesford Town B’s 9-3 home win against bottom-placed side Priory earned them a fourth-place finish.
